Watch



@CL 9, 1934. 1 FINK 1,97690764 WATCH Filed Aug. 3l, 1932 Patented Oct. 9, 1934 UTE STTE ATET WATCH tion cf Massachusetts Appiieation August 31, 1932, Serial No. 631,192

5 Claims.

This invention relates to watches and particularly to small wrist watches and is especially concerned with the winding and setting stems thereof.

In a small Wrist watch, the winding stem has a shifting sleeve thereon and the stem is .axially movable to move the sleeve between winding and etting positions, the stem for this purpose having an intermediate enlarged portion above the sleeve that has an external annular groove in which a setting lever is located. The pillar plate of the frame of the watch has a transverse open-v ing in which the sleeve and the enlarged portion of the stem are located and this opening has necessarily been open at the opposite faces and also at the edge or the plate to accommodate the parts. The plate, furthermore, has numero-us recesses and pivot holes extended generally along the line of the opening and transversely of the plate so that the plate is relatively transversely weak and thus liable to bend.

Due to the groove for the setting lever in the winding stem, the upper portion of the stem has very little axial length of bearing engagement in the pillar plate and, furthermore, such bearing is not circumferentially continuous since the opening breaks through the sides oi the plate to accommodate the setting lever and for other reasons. Thus the winding stem is supported mainly at its lower or inner end, and the upper end has insuicient bearing support. The upper end oi the stern projects beyond the frame and through an opening in and beyond the enclosing case of the frame and terminates in a winding button. The Winding stem is small in diameter and the extended upper end thereof is relatively long and so is liable to bend if given rough usage. A bent winding stem obviously is undesirable.

The stern opening in the case of the watch usually is considerably larger than the stem so that dirt can enter the case and interfere with the proper operation of the movement.

It is an object of this invention to provide a Watch construction wherein the pillar plate is re-info-rced along its transverse line and at the same time an increased and ample bearing support is provided for the outer end of the winding stein and the stern opening in the case is practically closed so that dirt cannot pass therethrough.

A further object is to provide the frame with a lateral extension which bridges the opening of the pillar plate and rigidly connects the parts of the plate on opposite sides of the opening and constitutes abearing for the winding stem and occupies and lls the opening in the case.

Another object is to provide the pillar and bridge plates with complemental lateral extensions which completely surround the winding stem and constitute an axially long and circumferentiaily continuous bearing therefor.

A further object of the invention is to provide the watch frame with an extension in which the winding stem is supported and wherein the winding button has a hub that is located in and held from lateral movement by said frame eXtension for the purpose of providing additional support for the end of the winding stem.

A yet further object is generally to improve the construction of small watches.

Fig. l is a front View of an oblong wrist watch incorporating the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear View of a portion of a Watch frame and the winding shaft.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail taken generally along line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

a Fig. e is a rear detail of the pillar plate and illustratingthe stem supporting extension thereof.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a iront detail of the pillar plate.

The movement of the watch 1U is carried by a frame comprising a pillar plate 12, a cooperating bridge plate 14 and other plates that support various parts or the gear train and associated elements of the Watch. The winding stem 16, with Which this invention is particularly concerned, has a reduced lower end i8 that is journalled in the pillar plate l2 and an enlarged intermediate section 2@ that is journalled in both the pillar and V the bridge plates. The upper end 22 of the winding stern is screw-threaded and has a winding button 24 received thereon.

In accordance with the present invention the Winding button has an axially extended hub 26 that overlies and is engaged with the screwthreaded portion of the stem and is seated against the shoulder provided by the end of the enlarged intermediate portion 20 of the stem. The winding stern is provided with the usual loose winding pinion 2S which is in mesh with a Winding wheel 30 and at its lower face has ratchet teeth 32 that can engage similar ratchet teeth 3e oi a shifting sleeve 36 that is slidable axially upon a square portion 38 of the winding stem and has a crown wheel or teeth 40 at its lower end that are adapted to mesh with a setting Wheel 42. When the Winding stem is in the position illustrated in Fig. 5 the ratchet teeth of the shifting sleeve 36 are in engagement with the ratchet teeth of the windthe setting of the hands. The winding stern has a groove 44 therein in which a setting lever 46 is located, said lever being associated with a second lever 48 that is located in an annular groove 50- of the shifting sleeve and the levers being so ar ranged that when the setting stern is moved outwardly, the setting sleeve is moved inwardly, and vice versa. The winding stern, the shifting sleeve and the winding pinion are located in an opening 5l of the pillar plate l2, which opening has an axial cylindrical extension 51a that receives the enlarged portion 20 of the winding stem and is open in the iront face oi the plate and has a rear opening or slot 51h that admits the setting lever 46 to enter the annular groove 44 in the stein.

Heretofore the extension 51a has been open in the edge face 12a of the pillar plate and hence has engaged only a small, and insuicient, axial length oi the enlarged portion 20 of the winding stem, or that portion just above the groove 44, the major length of said enlarged portion projecting beyond the edge face 12a of the pillar and bridge plates. rPhe slot 5lb also has interrupted the circumferential continuity of the bearing surface so that the stem has been insuiciently supported at its outer end. The pillar plate, by reason of the opening 51 and other necessary pivot openings and recesses generally in line therewith has been transversely WeakY and liable to bend.

In accordance with the present invention the pillar and'bridge plates are provided with com,- plemental extensions 52 and 54 respectively which out-stand beyond the side edge 12a, of the frame and cooperate to form a cylindrical boss which surrounds the outer portion of the winding stem. The extension 52 is integral with the pillar plate and overlies the outer end of the opening 51 and rigidly connects the two portions of the'pillar plate on opposite sides of the opening, thereby re-inforcing the plate so that it can resist transverse bending. The slot 51h is located in part in the inner portion of the extension 52 as is illustrated in Fig. 6. The cylindrical extension 51a of the opening 51 is continued throughout the length of the extension 52 and also in the complemental bridge plate extension 54 and said cylindrical opening is completely circular above the slot 51h and is of long axial extent and closely surrounds the enlarged portion 20 of the winding stem above the groove 44 therein and so provides a circumferentially continuous bearing support of ample area and long axial extent for the winding stem. The hub 26 of the winding button is the same diameter as that of the enlarged portion of the winding stem and is located within the bearing boss so that yet further bearing support for the stem is provided. The boss extends through an opening or slot 56 in the side wall 58 of the enclosing case terminating substantially ush with the outer face of said wall and close under the winding button and being a close fit in the case opening 56 so as to exclude the passage of dirt through the opening into the interior of the case.

I claim:

1. A watch movement having a frame comprising spaced supporting plates having integral therewith complemental lateral extensions that conjointly provide a cylindrical recess, a winding stem journalled in said recess and also in one of said plates, and a winding button on the end of said winding shaft beyond said extension.

2. A Watch movement having a frame cornprising spaced supporting plates having'integral therewith complemental lateral extensions that conjointly provide a cylindrical recess, a winding stem journalled in said recess and also in one of said plates, and a winding button on the end of said winding shaft beyond said extension, said winding button having a hub that is jouralled in ,l l

said recess.

3. A Watch movement having a frame comprisp ing spaced pillar and bridge plates having integral therewith complemental lateral extensions that cooperate to provide a cylindrical passage in said 4. A watch movement comprising a winding4 and setting stem, a shifting sleeve and a winding wheelron said stem, a supporting plate for said stem having an opening in which said stern, sleeve and wheel are located, said stem projecting beyond a side edge' of said plate and said plate hav- Y ing integral therewith a lateral extension which forms one boundary for said opening and rigidly connects the parts of said plate on opposite sides of said opening and partially surrounds said winding stemand constitutes a bearing support therefor.

5. A pillar plate for a watch movement having an opening therethrough adapted to receive the shifting sleeve, said opening having an extension adapted to receive the winding stem, and a boss which extends laterally from an edge of said plate beyond'said opening and the extension thereof and has its axis in line with and bridges said opening and rigidly connects and ties together the two parts of said plate on opposite sides of said opening and provides a bearing support for said wind ing stem.

JEAN FINK. 

